MOVIE TYME

Looks like Hollywood might redeem itself for what was at best a lackluster season last year. At any rate I still have 15 free rentals at Blockbuster coming my way in the event of a repeat. Here are some of the flicks I've checked out lately along with my thoughts. www.imdb.com is a good source for movies and performance information and cross-references.

Pearl Harbor: I wasn't expecting much from this movie. It turned out to be interesting. I've not had my jaw hit the floor over special effects since the first view of the dinos on the island in Jurassic Park. The layout work was impeccable. And the women will enjoy what I interpreted as cheesy romance and corny pickup lines. The story is about two childhood friends who share a passion for flying. Eventually they end up sharing a passion for the same Navy nurse. Quite a few things happen in this hefty 188 minute movie. I am sure a high level of creative license was exercised in the events of Pearl Harbor. The victors write the history. Maybe next time. If you don't walk out of this movie with a new respect for veterans, then you need more than a psychiatrist.

Planet of the Apes: A dark massacre of what was an intriguing concept. In Tim Burton's dark twisted world the focus is more on special effects and makeup. What, you were expecting a story? With Marky Mark as the lead actor?!? Only in its ending does it beat the original. Otherwise the movie adds nothing fresh to the concept. We will likely be subject to a sequel next summer.

Rush Hour 2: If you liked the first one you'll like this one. If you like Chris Tucker or Jackie Chan you'll like this one. Great one-liners for the guys, great visuals of Hong Kong and Vegas. Impeccable choreography and of course the obligatory Chan outtakes. This is the best movie I've seen all summer. Compare to the crap that's out there for us to feed on that's not saying much. The movie deserves more than that. Chan and Tucker have great chemistry and somehow it makes the movie more believable. 

Rock Star: This story tells the tale of Chris, played by Mark Wahlberg who is the lead singer in a "tribute" band to his favorite group, the edgy, hard-rocking Steel Dragon. After getting kicked out of the band he ends up fronting for his icons, Steel Dragon. Despite having a slim goody (played by Jennifer Aniston) he starts living the rock star lifestyle with the rest of the band. The tracks are tight. Jeff Pillson (Dokken) and Zack Wylde (Ozzy) star in Steel dragon. There are numerous cameos from the industry as well. I really liked this movie because it portrays the hard rock genre from the late 80s. What self-respecting high school guy didn't want to be a rock star at that time? If not for the rough language and nudity this would easily be my favorite movie of the summer. The nude scenes are easy enough to avoid but they didn't need to goto the level they did to portray the rock n roll lifestyle. Marky Mark makes up for the crap he put on in Planet of the Apes to say the least. 

Training Day: "It's not what you know, it's what you can prove." Denzel Washington plays Alonzo Harris, a narc agent in LA. The movie follows the events of the first of Jake Hoyt, played by Ethan Hawke, on the narc squad. The movie is full of attitude and testosterone. Washington is convincing as a hardened by the streets cop. So is Hawke as a wet behind the years beat cop looking to pay his dues to make detective. Notable appearances by Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, Scott Glenn etal. Guys will like the killer action, intensity and one-liners. 'This is chess, ain't checkers'. Since this movie is trying to convey the attitude of the 'streets' of LA to its audience, be ready for ROUGH language and a few scenes of BRUTAL violence. Otherwise I found the show to be entertaining but the events leading up to the end could have been truncated. Cheaters never win and winners never cheat. A surprisingly good cop movie.

NOW AVAILABLE ON HOME VIDEO:

Okay I caved into the hype and bought a DVD player. It's fun renting the DVDs because they include the movie with features like jumping to any scene instantly, director and actor's commentaries, out takes, the original movie trailer, storyboard discussions. On some of the DVD I have rented they have a full duplication of the movie with the dialog moved to the background and the director and actors' comments in the foreground. On others you can turn on 'capsules' that appear during the movie. If you 'select' the capsule it will reveal some information about the scene but it otherwise doesn't intrude with the dialog. I picked up one for 130 bucks that plays hdcds, video cds, dvd, regular audio cds and mp3 audio cds. 

DVDs tend to run about 20 dollars off the shelf. Walmart, Target and other retailers have $9.99 sections where you can find some gems. I picked up Unforgiven, The Good The Bad and The Ugly, Groundhog Day and True Grit for $9.99 each at Walmart.

In case you haven't noticed, this section is sorely lacking. I'll be updating it over the next few weeks.

What Women Want: What happens when Mel Gibson, raised by a Vegas showgirl, oblivious to the needs of women and a complete chauvanist, has an accident that gives him the ability to know women's thoughts as clearly as if they were talking to him? Comedy, manipulation and using the powers for evil! USA Today had a recent survey asking men which super power they would most desire: reading people's minds received almost half the votes alone. Wouldn't you like the ability to read the minds of others or at least know the unedited thoughts of the opposite sex? Otherwise this movie is quite the estrogen fest. But, its good mix of comedy, romance and drama enable it to have a little something for everyone. A chick flick that men should enjoy because it's funny and it gives you something to talk about. It made me think 'What would I do in his shoes? How could the world be made a better place with that kind of power?' And it made me laugh. It was shot on location in Chicago.

The Ladies Man: Yes, I'll admit to watching it. I thought it was funny, thank you. Not a movie to rent with your sweetie but a great guy's night in show without a doubt. If you liked the SNL skit you'll like the movie. If not, well...it is shot on location in Chicago if that's of any redeeming value. And a great cameo by Tiffany Amber Thiessen.

Shaft: Can you dig it? Samuel L. Jackson has been holding out on that seized contraband. No way an NYPD detective makes enough money to afford that Armani top shelf wardrobe AND have a place to chill. So whether he's mackin or poppin caps, he's doing so in style. I don't recall ever seeing him at home. There are at least 100 better ways to spend 100 minutes of your life than watching this movie. It will keep you entertained but the plot is shallow, the characters are shallow and the movie ended with me saying 'so what?'. You know there is a poor selection of titles on video when Shaft gets picked.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Another spoof from the Coen brothers, they made Raising Arizona and Fargo to name a few. Loosely based on Homer's Odyssey. What I would term 'serious humor.' The story begins with our Odysseus, the slick-tongued, dapper-dan loving Ulysses Everitt (played by George Clooney). The setting: great depression era Mississippi. Everitt is on the chain gang and the story begins with them running off to get some loot Everitt buried at his house. The land the house is on is about to be dammed and flooded.   Without knowledge of the Odyssey the movie is still very enjoyable but you may not understand some of the people they meet along the way.  Now you need to R-U-N-N-O-F-T and see it! If you know 1930s history there are some cameos not to be missed, particularly the bank robber. The soundtrack is a hoot. Those of you from the Parsons A/G back in the day...they sing my favorite...#255. And if you've never seen cows hit by a vintage car or shot with a tommy gun...you're in for a treat!

Proof Of Life: they named this movie after a phrase in the KNR (Kidnap aNd Recovery) business. When the bad guys demand money from the good guys, the good guys ask for photographic proof of life first. This movie is set outside of Tempala, Ecuador. The scenery is magnificent. An engineer (who plays Meg Ryan's husband...who says the engineers don't get the babes?) planning a dam to help the citizens gets mistaken as a worker for the evil oil conglomerate (aren't they all?!?) and is kidnapped. The bad guys think he works for the oil conglomerate and want mucho ransom dinero. Enter Russell Crowe, our heroine. His job is to negotiate the ransom and recovery. Good mix of action, drama and suspense. Ryan's presence lends some weight for the female demographic's interest in the movie. Not a manly movie but not a chick flick either. The DVD has some interesting extras: a behind the scenes look at the shooting of the film, cast roster and interview with the director. 

He Got Game: This is old school, from 1998. It is a powerful story about Jake Shuttlesworth, a convict for killing his wife inadvertantly, and his son, Jesus. No, he's not named after the Son of man. He's named after Earl Monroe, the pro round ball player commonly known as Black Jesus. Jake has the opportunity to get out of jail 15 years early if he can get Jesus to sign with Big State. Thing is, Jesus is the #1 high school recruit in the country. A powerful drama of living up in the Brooklyn ghetto, this movie is a case study on the love-hate relationship of a son with his father. In the end, beyond the shadow of a doubt, you will know...he got game. Keep it real!

Babylon 5: Click to see my full web page. It's simply the best television series I've ever seen. It's so good that it should be a mandatory high school class. So much can be learned about politics, common sense, caution, humor, reading personalities...simply an amazing show. Its Hugo awards serve as a testimony to this statement.

Along Came A Spider: This is the sequel to Kiss The Girls sans Ashley Judd. If you enjoy a movie that makes you think and still surprises you, look no further. Crime drama is what this movie is all about. A Senator's daughter is kidnapped and tracked by our beloved Detective Morgan Freeman and his ever-so-lovely 'partner' Monica Potter. What develops is a web of intrigue, suspense and mystery. The swerves leading up to the ending are awesome. The best movie I've rented in 2001. And with the 30 rental blockbuster card, believe me, there have been a few.

The Siege: I pulled this one out because it deals with terrorism in New York City. Denzel Washington and Annete Bening are the leads as they track down terrorist cells in New York City amidst an escalating chain of terroristic events. When a state of martial law is imposed Bruce Willis is called in to lock down Brooklyn and sniff out the terrorists. The battle is joined as Washington, Bening and Willis play eachother and jockey for position. When I first saw this a couple of years ago I thought that it demonstrated that we truly are not as strong as we think we are. This is a good suspense/crime drama. With the events of September 11, 2001, it's maybe not the best thing to watch right now but I guess it can give you some ideas about what politics come into play when dealing with these problems. Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors. 

The Mummy Returns: An ancient evil army has been awakened and the evil high priest mummy from the original Mummy wants to command this army and rule the modern world. But he has to get past La Roca (playing the fierce, ancient warrior, the Scorpion King). And Brendan Frasier, now with wife (yes, the guy got the girl) and child. Just enough development of the women lead characters and romance between both the good and evil characters to keep the ladies' interest. What you can expect is two hours of testosterone. Adventure. CGI dog faced bad guys. Sword fights. Pyramids and Mummies. Good versus an Ancient Evil. Egyptian graffitti. PS the eight year old steals the show. Good to see at a matinee price. 

A Knight's Tale: I wasn't expecting much from this film. I was pleasantly surprised. It's about a peasant who fulfills a childhood desire to one day be a knight by participating in jousting tournaments reserved only for those of noble birth. The bad guy is incredibly bad, the good guy is hopelessly good, and in the end all's well that ends well. Along with romance to which women will say 'awww. That's so sweeeeet.' And some very emotional, almost tears of joy moments. And the choreography of the jousting scenes is incredible. And some hilarious mixes of the medieval and the modern. For example at the beginning of the first tournament the crowd is singing the all too familiar 'We Will Rock You' (Queen). Very much worth the matinee price. 

Shrek: I was expecting a lot from this movie. I was not disappointed. It is an entertaining romp about an ogre (Shrek) who is perfectly happy living by himself in the swamp until all of the fairy tale characters are cast into his midst by Lord Farkwad. Lord Farkwad has to marry a princess before he can be king. Shrek wants the fairy tale characters out of his swamp. So Shrek agrees to rescue a princess if Farkwad will kick the fairy tale characters out of his swamp. Mike Meyers as Shrek, Cameron Diaz as Princess Fione, and Eddie Murphy as the donkey comprise the core cast. The movie shamelessly spoofs numerous classic Disney and Mother Goose fairy tale characters. It's a hoot. Go check it out.